Q: Once my book is uploaded, how long before it appears in iTunes?

In iTunes connect you can contact them about an open support ticket.

Are you referring to the one in ticket

If you have questions regarding this ticket, contact us.

When you go to the link - it is lead into an FAQ like site. Which option do you use (that can successfully get a reply)? I have never got a reply from Apple - and I already got 14 books approved!

Some news;

I got a reply to a plea for information from this email address: ibookstore@apple.com which stated that my title was in a queue and that they were experiencing high volume etc...

The email also included this link with regards to the use of the word "iBook":

http://www.apple.com/legal/trademark/appletmlist.html

Still not approved (into week three now), but a reply was admittedly exciting albeit fairly useless.

I had the book approved. Discovered an error, changed it and uploaded it again. Now - about 2 months later, still waiting for approval.

argh...

My book is live on the iBookstore, but I issued an update.  How long does it take for the update to go live?  Thanks!

According to madelskov, it can take two months. Your mileage may vary.

Michi.

Here is an example about the consequences of those rediculous long approval times.

I converted two of my physical books that are available on Amazon into the iBooks format. "Final Cut Pro X - How it Works" and "Final Cut Pro X - 10.0.3 New Features". Both are still in the approval cycle with over 2 month.

Now, just today, the new update for Final Cut Pro X came out, 10.0.4. Great, it is not even on the iBookstore and already outdated. Thank you very much. If the approval process takes longer than for the developmer team to roll out a new update of an application, that says it all. And Apple is not really famous for its quick update cycles.

So maybe I should concentrate on writing for software like OS9, Shake or Soundtrack Pro. At least I wouldn't run the risk of a new update by the time the book is approved (or would I ???)

Edgar Rothermich

It will go live within 24 hours.

However, your book might get pulled later. My first book was pulled after I change the content and update, and close to a month later it has not yet back on store. My 2nd book was pulled TODAY after I updated the graphics to retina graphics and update.

I am clearing off my existing projects and leaving this store.

Just coming up to 3 weeks long waiting for me :( (which isn't a hideous amount of time but I am very impatient with such things). Worse still was it took me 6 weeks to get all of the uk resident/IRS stuff sorted :( since doing the book I've had four or five big iPad art speaking gigs and would loved to have mentioned the iBook at any of them. Hey ho.

I dare say they are massively understaffed. Shame though. My free book went through in a couple o days, sad to see that not replicated on the paid for side :(

If I submit a paid book (this requires an ISBN) do I need only 1 ISBN?  However, if I update my book, can I use the same ISBN?  Thanks!

Yes, for an update (or "printing"), you can use the same ISBN. Normally, a different ISBN is used for the same book only if it is a different "edition", that is, the changes are extensive enough to call it a different book.

Michi.

Thank you very much.

In addition, I want to update the description of a book that is live on the iBookstore.  How do I only update the description?  Thanks.

I just got the same ticket. One of my children book "Lion" got pulled for "Limited Functionality" too - and it is just the #1 book in Education chart a few days ago!

The book has 18 pages, but it has 1 video about Lion, many pages of fun facts and pictures, and a photo gallery of Lions which are actually taken by us at Africa - all in Retina display.

If this is not ridiculous (as the book was approved, and then pulled, and this is a Children book with multimedia content) - I am not sure what is.

See this thread.

Michi.